Liverpool yielded two goals in less than three minutes to fall 2-0 at Zenit St Petersburg, leaving the visitors’ Europa League hopes hanging in the balance.
Despite having failed to properly test goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev with a number of chances the Reds seemed to be managing to hold on in their last-32 Europa League first-leg tie in the sub-zero Petrovsky Stadium.
But with 20 minutes remaining, Hulk powered home a brilliant 30-yard strike before substitute Sergei Semak converted from close-range moments later.
Liverpool — and in particular top scorer Luis Suarez — will have to rediscover their shooting boots for the return leg next week otherwise their last chance of a trophy this season will be lost.
For that reason, he selected virtually a full-strength side with captain Steven Gerrard starting his first away game in Europe this season.
The Russian champions fed off the fervor of their fans and displayed a sharpness which defied their two months without a competitive match as both striker Alexander Kerzhakov and Hulk, the latter from distance, were denied early on by Jose Reina.
In between, Suarez responded by turning Nicolas Lombaerts and rolling a shot past goalkeeper Malafeev and across goal but wide of the far post.
The Belgian defender was not having the best of nights as he then inexplicably passed the ball to Suarez who drove into the area, rounded Malafeev but was denied from a narrow angle as Lombaerts recovered to block.
However, Liverpool, in trying to play a cagey European-style game, sank further back into their own half and it only served to invite on the hosts who saw Danny’s header easily saved and Hulk hit the post.
The Reds’ attacking was sporadic at best on a pitch cutting up badly but five minutes before halftime, Suarez almost pinched a cheeky goal when the Zenit defense got themselves in a mess and Suarez backheeled Sterling’s low cross just wide.
Johnson had a shot blocked by Malafeev after a long, driving run early in the second half while Suarez fired wide again as Liverpool could not find a clinical edge inside the penalty area.
It was a failing which cost the Reds dearly on Monday as they were caught cold by West Brom, who scored twice late on at Anfield.
While they had not had the same dominance as they enjoyed against the Baggies, they were not exactly in trouble — and that was when they were exposed.
With 20 minutes to go Jordan Henderson was dispossessed and Hulk, who had previously threatened without being worryingly dangerous, smashed one in to give Reina no chance.
But the defending for the second goal less than three minutes later raised plenty of questions as right back Alexander Anyukov’s low cross was drilled home at the far post by Semak.
Gerrard’s free kick forced a low save from Malafeev but no-one was on hand to capitalize on the rebound but Liverpool appeared to still be going backwards rather than forwards.
It encouraged Zenit to go for what would surely have been the killer third and Viktor Fayzulin saw his long-range effort deflected narrowly wide.
Liverpool will require a much-improved performance in a week’s time if it is to turn around the deficit and keep its quest for silverware alive.
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